Excellon drills 2,490 g/t AgEq over 2.9 metres at Platosa, Mexico
Excellon's La Platosa silver mine in Durango, north-central Mexico. Source: Excellon Resources Inc.
Excellon Resources Inc. [EXN-TSX, NYSE; E4X2-FSE] reported results from underground drilling at the 100%-owned Platosa mine in Durango, Mexico.
Follow-up drilling on the 817 zone below manto 623 defined a zone of high-grade silver mineralization, with underground diamond drilling results including 2,490 g/t silver equivalent (AgEq) over 2.9 metres (1,430 g/t silver, 12.0% lead and 21.7% zinc) and 5,089 g/t AgEq over 0.4 metres (4,035 g/t silver, 25.2% lead and 11.8% zinc) in EX21UG761.
Drill hole EX21UG760 returned 3,905 g/t AgEq over 1.8 metres (2,398 g/t Ag, 14.2% Pb and 33.2% Zn). Hole EX21UG812 returned 2,124 g/t AgEq over 2.8 metres (1,267 g/t Ag, 7.5% Pb and 19.0% Zn). Hole EX21UG769 returned 4,939 g/t AgEq over 0.9 metres (4,060 g/t Ag, 29.7% Pb and 3.3% Zn). Hole EX21UG770 returned 3,158 g/t AgEq over 1.0 metre (2,956 g/t Ag, 6.1% Pb and 1.3% Zn).
Underground drilling continues to test below historically mined areas for potential vertical zones.
“Drilling at Platosa following up on the 817 zone has defined vertically oriented high-grade mineralization over approximately 30 metres of strike and 30 metres of vertical extent,” stated Jorge Ortega, vice-president, exploration. “The proximity of existing infrastructure should allow access to this zone in the coming months and supplement first and second quarter production. We continue underground drilling to target areas ahead of production, test the extent of mineralization around mine workings and test for vertical zones of mineralization.”
Follow-up drilling on the high-grade interval intersected in EX21UG690 (2,860 g/t AgEq over 7.5 metres) defined a high-grade, vertical zone on approximately 30 metres of vertical extent. The 817 zone provides additional dry tonnes to the current mine plan, with production expected to commence from the area as early as February, 2022.
Drilling from underground continues ahead of production at the NE-1 manto, and will continue to target areas ahead of production, test the extent of mineralization around mine workings, and test for vertical zones of mineralization at the 623, NE-1, Guadalupe Sur, Guadalupe Norte, 4 and 6A/B mantos.
Excellon continues to assess whether maintaining a consistent production schedule at the Platosa mine is feasible beyond mid-2022 at achievable dewatering rates and with acceptable capital expenditures.